Letter to the Editor: Walden comment offensive

The Chronicle editorial Oct. 1 called for an end to the shutdown of the federal government and decried the bad governmental practice of brinksmanship and hostage-taking, which is clearly the Republican policy and behavior in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Today’s Portland Oregonian editorial condemned the shutdown and quoted Republican California Rep. David Nunes as saying that Republican policy of brinksmanship was “moronic.”

Republican Rep. Greg Walden is a leader of the House (chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee) and our representative from eastern Oregon, and he is a prime player in this “moronic policy.” Walden was quoted yesterday in his Washington office as saying the public anger over the shutdown would be forgotten by the 2014 elections. That attitude is offensive.

I will not forget the role that he has played in what the Washington Post has called a “recklessly, breathtakingly, wastefully irresponsible dereliction of leadership” as quoted in Tuesday’s The Dalles Chronicle editorial. Specifically, the Republican attack on the Affordable Care Act and the threat of default on our debts can greatly amplify the economic harm they have already caused.

I call on Congressman Walden to abandon his moronic dereliction of leadership and to repudiate the position of the Tea Party extremists who have caused this breakdown and embarrassment to our governmental system. The 2014 elections are not far away and everyone should remember Walden’s votes and positions.